- Aug 30, 2017
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Yes, I know. I live it in real life.BDSM is actually a form of trust, respect, and love you need ultimate trust that you're partner isn't going to do anything dangerous to harm you.
I can invent reasons for many of the characters. But not Android. Not right now. Earlier or later, yes. But right now, she shouldn't be available. In fact, she should be hostile.
Respectfully, I disagree to an extent. On a personal level: no there don't have to be. Kinks are personal. But this is a public story and a cohesive narrative. I know why Lin, Emma, Felicity, and most of the other tenants are into BDSM. But when the overarching story is ripping the slavery narrative to shreds, and many of the core characters are directly affected by/involved in this narrative, doubt and hesitation would be much more realistic. I know you believe that, because you've done it: taking characters out of various optional situations (sleep with, dungeon, alarm, etc.) when their story at the moment didn't allow it.I don't feel like there needs to be any level of justification for ones kinks.
I really think that Maria should've held back longer. Android shouldn't be available at all. Even Lin should've had a few brief moments of doubt; be able to call her to the dungeon, but then a scene in which she challenges the MC as to why she's there.
I fully agree that it's great if we eventually end up accepting the residents' kinks, no matter how wild, as their kinks. Again, that's my real-life experience as well. But you're not writing realism; you're writing an entirely constructed reality. To me, that means you're responsible for all elements of tha reality, and that includes demonstrating why Android would still be into BDSM.
Right, but of course that's one of the most delicate fantasy/reality challenges right there. I think you got it right, but I also think many things are changing for the tenants. What feels fun and transgressive at stat level X might feel oppressive and patriarchal at stat level Y, and the characters would be right to feel like that.Such as Kali having a rape fantasy, but obviously she doesn't want to be raped.
I think you usually reflect this in your main story. My suggestion is that it's not always reflected in dungeon availability. It could even be selective: character Z is up for everything before she's abducted, but only available for 50% of everything after her abduction. You already do stat gates on dungeon activities, or at least it seems like you do, so this would be easy to reinstate. After her arrest, Maria is unavailable for a lot. It might be completely reasonable for her to be willing to go to the dungeon, but be unwilling to do certain things down there, for a while, until you've rebuilt her trust.